1. In Economics:
* Substitute goods: These are products that can be used in place of each other. For example, butter and margarine are substitutes because they can both be used to spread on bread. If the price of butter increases, consumers may switch to margarine, leading to an increase in demand for margarine.
2. In General Usage:
* Replacement: This is the most basic meaning of the word. A substitute can be anything that takes the place of another thing. For example, a substitute teacher takes the place of a regular teacher who is absent.
* Alternative: This is similar to a replacement, but often implies that the substitute is a good option. For example, you could use a bicycle as a substitute for a car if you need to get around town quickly.
3. In Sports:
* A player who takes the place of another player: This is common in team sports where players may be injured or need to rest.
4. In Grammar:
* A noun or pronoun that replaces another noun or pronoun: This is called a pronoun substitute. For example, in the sentence "John went to the store, and he bought some milk," the pronoun "he" is a substitute for the noun "John."
To understand the exact meaning of "substitutes," you need to consider the context in which it is used.